Automatic room deodorizing device

ABSTRACT

A room deodorizing device adapted to be mounted on a flush tank or the like, which includes an arrangement for dispensing perfume or scent on a continuous basis into the room and to replenish or to provide an incremental concentration to the room atmosphere automatically in response to actuation of the toilet flush tank.

' United States Patent Dolan Oct. 28, 1975 1 AUTOMATIC ROOM DEODORIZING 2,839,763 6/1958 Newsom 4/227 DEVICE 3,327,325 6/1967 Roger 4/227 3,341,074 9/1967 Pannutti 4/227 X n o Jo o Old Orchard St, 3,342,338 9/1967 Selmeczi et al.... 4/227 x Harrison, N.Y. 10528 3,412,907 ll/l968 Faso 222/187 Filed: p 1974 3,531,025 9/1970 Richmond et a1. 222/187 [21] Appl. No.: 458,593 Primary Examiner-Henry K. Artis Attorney, Agent, or FirmJohn F. Ohlandt [52] US. Cl. 4/227; 4/228; 222/187 51 Int. c1. E03D 9/02 [57] ABSTRACT 58 Field of Search 4/227, 228, 222, 231, 223, A room deodoriling device adapted to be mounted on 222/187 a flush tank or the like, which includes an arrangement for dispensing perfume or scent on a continuous 5 References Cited basis into the room and to replenish or to provide an UNITED STATES PATENTS incremental concentration to the room atmosphere automatically in response to actuation of the toilet 2,610,769 9/1952 Goetz 222/187 flush tank 2,620,486 12/1952 Addlesburger 4/227 2,770,492 11/1956 Kuss 4/227 X 9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Oct. 28, 1975 Sheet 1 of2 US. Patent Oct. 28, 1975 Sheet2of2 3,914,805

FIG. 4

AUTOMATIC ROOM DEODORIZKNG DEVICE BACKGROUND, OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION: t

This invention relates to a device for imparting a pleasant fragrance or odor to a bathroom or like room in which a toilet is contained by dispensing perfume or scent into the room atmosphere on a continuous basis.

'Various means and techniques have been known in the prior art for the general purpose of dispensing perfume within lavatories, bathrooms and the like. Some of these means have depended upon the addition of perfume to the water filling a toilet or the like, or the water filling the flush tank; however, the result of such an arrangement is that the perfume dissolved in the water is extremely dilute. Thus, the concentration of a perfume or scent delivered to and concentrated in the atmosphere is extremely limited.

It has been sought to gain the advantages of direct introduction of the perfume or scent into the bathroom atmosphere and it has been known to release a substantial concentration or quantity of the perfume by a variety of known arrangements immediately subsequent to the flushing of a toilet. For examples of this kind of perfume dispensing arrangements, reference may be made to U.S. Pat. 3,327,325 in which a technique is described which relies on the actuation of a turbine and fan combination responsive to movement of the flush water.

Other examples of prior art devices or techniques can be appreciated by reference to US. Pat. No. 3,531,025 in which there is disclosed a perfume dispensing device or devices according to which a container is suspended inside the flush tank by a suitable holding device which is attached to the side of the tank by means of a clamp mounted on the wall thereof. In this arrangement the perfume vapor is forced out of the container and into the room atmosphere through a vapor outlet tube.

Whatever the merits of the devices and arrangements diclosed in the aforementioned patents, the fact remains that the only significant opportunity for dispensing of the perfume into the atmosphere is produced when the toilet tank is being flushed. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that with such devices the level of concentration of the perfume drops significantly during the intervals of non-use. Moreover, there is an inevitable time lag between use of the toilet and the effectiveness of the perfume dispersion by such devices in overcoming the foul odor by the more fragrant dispensed odor.

At the same time, it will be understood that although it might be considered desirable simply to utilize a solid block of readily evaporatable perfume materials such as paradichlorobenzene, there exists a need to control the dispensing of the perfume in proportion to and dependent on the use of the toilet. Otherwise, the use of the perfume material, is uneconomic and wasteful; moreover, merely providing such a block of perfume material in the bathroom and allowing it to evaporate indiscriminately would result in an overpowering scent in the room even though it was not required.

The present invention is directed to the solution to the problem of how to supply a significant increment of perfume or scent to the bathroom air in proportion to and dependenton the use of the toilet, while having at the same time a substantially continuous minimum or threshold concentration present in the room at all means of a simple structure involving a minimum of hardware.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a room deodorizing unit, purchasable as a unit at a supermarket or the like, which may be readily installed on a conventional toilet tank.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple, compact structure able to fulfill the previously recited objects, particularly through the provision of plural functions for parts of the deodorizing device.

In accordance with a principal feature of the present invention, the room deodorizing device includes a case for holding or containing the perfume concentrate. Such case is attached or fixed to a support means which fits over the wall of the toilet tank or the like so that the perfume concentrate case is suspended outside the tank. At the other end of the support means there is held a container which is suitably suspended inside the tank and extends downwardly such that the flush water is permitted to enter the container through a suitable opening at the bottom thereof.

Accordingly, the room deodorizer of the present invention allows for ready dispersion of the perfume essence from a primary source outside the tank on a steady controlled basis. However, constant replenishment into the room atmosphere from the above-noted primary source is effected automatically in response to the use of the toilet. This is accomplished due to the factthat the container inside the tank is so arranged that trapped air therein is compressed and then emitted adjacent to and around the case containing the perfume concentrate. Consequently, each time the toilet tank is flushed an increment of the perfume concentrate is added to the room atmosphere.

In fulfillment of the above stated object of providing an extremely compact device, another feature of the invention provides that the support means, in the form of a holder which sits over the edge of the toilet tank wall, is constructed so that it is able to serve as a means of communication between the perfume concentrate case and the container held within the toilet tank. Thus, the support means is fabricated of semi-rigid plastic and is hollow at the interior so that at one end it can communicate with an opening leading to the container. The support means is provided at its other end with a plurality of perforations or apertures so that the trapped air from the toilet tank container can be appropriately swept over the perfume concentrate when the Other and further objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be understood by reference to the following specification in conjunction with the annexed drawing, wherein like parts have been given like numbers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING:

PK]. 1 is a side view of the deodorizing device of the present invention shown mounted on the wall of a toilet tank.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the container of such deodorizing device shown hanging inside the toilet tank.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the deodorizing device, but without the perfume holder or case attached.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the perfume holder or case and showing a perfume block inside.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view from outside the toilet tank showing the support means or holder and particularly illustrating the holes in the holder and the perfume block inside its case.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT:

Referring now to the drawing in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reference numeral generally designates the room deodorizing device, the principal parts of which are preferably formed of plastic, but which could be made of other suitable material.

The device 10 includes a container 12 which is suspended inside a toilet tank or the like against the tank wall 14. The container 12 is provided at the bottom thereof with an opening 16, through which the flush tank water is permitted to enter the container 12 so that the level thereof, when the tank is full, is as indicated in FIG. 1.

The container 12 is shaped as illustrated and, as will be noted in particular, the upper portion thereof is necked down or severely restricted in its diameter, as will best be appreciated by reference to FIG. 2. This design is for the purpose of increasing the compression of the trapped air within the container 12.

The top of the container 12 is sealed; however, a small hole 18 is provided near the top so that the trapped air may be permitted to escape from the container l2 and then to flow through the passageway 20 defined 'at the hollow interior of the support means or holder 22 by which the container 12 is supported or retained within the tank. Such support of the container is realized by means of the special configuration of end portion 24 of the support means 22 which fits snugly around the circular top of the container 12.

The lower end of the holder 22 is provided with a number of small apertures 26 (see especially FIG. 5) which are appropriately located adjacent one end of a case 28, being situated above and below the case, which holds a solid block of absorbent material 30 which has been impregnated with the perfume concentrate. The case 28 is provided with a longitudinally extending affixing member 32 which is suitably provided with a plug 34 by means of which the case 28 can be securely retained on the holder 22, such holder 22 being provided with a suitable opening 36 for receiving the plug 34. As may be seen in FIG. 1, the plug extends be- I yond the holder 22, having been pushed through the opening 36.

It will be especially noted that the case 28 is preferably composed of plastic and, in its preferred form, is constructed to have a large number of perforations 35, thereby to permit ready evaporation of the perfume from block 30 into the ambient. Alternately, case 28 could have a basket-like construction. The perfume concentrate preferably employed consists of a combination of essential oils, the concentrate being available from commercial aromatics suppliers.

It will be understood that other kinds of perfume substances can be utilized, the basic requirement being that the substances be sufficiently volatile to provide a minimum or threshold value at all times in the room, but not such a high concentration of scent as to be overwhelming. It has been found that the aforesaid per- 4 fume concentrate in the absorbent block illustrated produces a suitable level at all times.

In addition to the furnishing of the required minimum or threshold level, the deodorizing device 10 of the present invention also fulfills the requirement of providing a stronger scent after each flushing of the toilet tank. Thus, when the toilet tank is flushed the water is emptied from the tank and then the tank is filled up again. The rising water traps air within the container 16 and this trapped air is forced through the small opening 18 in the neck through the hollow holder 22 and thence through the small holes or apertures 26 in the holder whereupon the air passes over and around the perfume block 30, thereby providing an increased concentration of the perfume in the room atmosphere.

While there has been shown and described what is considered at present to be the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications of such embodiment may be made. It is therefore desired that the invention not be limited to this embodiment, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A room deodorizing device adapted to be mounted on a flush tank or the like, comprising:

means for continuously dispersing perfume concentrate into an ambient and for automatically adding an increment of said concentrate responsive to flushing of said flush tank, said means including:

a container having at least one opening in its bottom;

a support means for suspending said container inside said flush tank, said support means engaging a wall of said tank and extending downwardly outside said tank;

a case for containing perfume attached at the outside end of said support means; and

means defining a passageway communicating from the interior of said container to said case.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, in which said passageway is defined within said support means and terminates at said outside end of said support means.

3. A device as defined in claim 2, in which a plurality of openings are provided at said outside end of said support means in communication with said passageway, said openings being located adjacent said perfume case.

4. A device as defined in claim 1, in which said container is adapted to extend downwardly such that flush water is normally present within said container.

5. A device as defined in claim 1, in which said perfume case has a mesh-like constructiomand further including a perfume block held within said case for effecting continuous significant dispersion of perfume into the ambient.

6. A device as defined in claim 1, in which said perfume case is detachably connected to said support means at the outside end thereof.

7. A device as defined in claim 1, in which said container is detachably connected to said support means at the other end thereof.

8. A device as defined in claim 2, in which said container is provided with an opening at the side thereof communicating with the passageway in said support means.

3 ,914,805 5 6 9. A device as defined in claim 2, in which said perfume case is attached to said support means by a longitudinally extending member including a plug insertable within an opening provided in said support means. 

1. A room deodorizing device adapted to be mounted on a flush tank or the like, comprising: means for continuously dispersing perfume concentrate into an ambient and for automatically adding an increment of said concentrate responsive to flushing of said flush tank, said means including: a container having at least one opening in its bottom; a support means for suspending said container inside said flush tank, said support means engaging a wall of said tank and extending downwardly outside said tank; a case for containing perfume attached at the outside end of said support means; and means defining a passageway communicating from the interior of said container to said case.
 2. A device as defined in claim 1, in which said passageway is defined within said support means and terminates at said outside end of said support means.
 3. A device as defined in claim 2, in which a plurality of openings are provided at said outside end of said support means in communication with said passageway, said openings being located adjacent said perfume case.
 4. A device as defined in claim 1, in which said container is adapted to extend downwardly such that flush water is normally present within said container.
 5. A device as defined in claim 1, in which said perfume case has a mesh-like construction, and further including a perfume block held within said case for effecting continuous significant dispersion of perfume into the ambient.
 6. A device as defined in claim 1, in which said perfume case is detachably connected to said support means at the outside end thereof.
 7. A device as defined in claim 1, in which said container is detachably connected to said support means at the other end thereof.
 8. A device as defined in claim 2, in which said container is provided with an opening at the side thereof communicating with the passageway in said support means.
 9. A device as defined in claim 2, in which said perfume case is attached to said support means by a longitudinally extending member including a plug insertable within an opening provided in said support means. 